TANGZHONG METHOD RECIPES RECIPES

Steps:

• Make the starter: In a small heavy pot, whisk flour, milk and 1/2 cup water (120 milliliters) together until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until thickened but still pourable, about 10 minutes (it will thicken more as it cools). When it’s ready, the spoon will leave tracks on the bottom of the pot. Scrape into a measuring cup and lightly cover the surface with plastic wrap. Set aside to cool to room temperature. (You will have about 1 cup starter; see note below.)
• Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt and mix for a few seconds, just until evenly combined.
• Add egg, milk and 1/2 cup starter. Turn the mixer on low speed and knead 5 minutes.
• Add soft butter and knead another 10 to 12 minutes (it will take a few minutes for butter to be incorporated), until the dough is smooth and springy and just a bit tacky.
• Lightly butter the inside of a bowl. Use your hands to lift dough out of mixer bowl, shape into a ball and place in prepared bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 40 to 60 minutes.
• Punch the dough down and use your hands to scoop it out onto a surface. Using a bench scraper or a large knife, cut dough in half. Lightly form each half into a ball, cover again and let rise 15 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In the meantime, generously butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
• Using a rolling pin, gently roll out one dough ball into a thick oval. (By this time, the dough should be moist and no longer sticky. You probably will not need to flour the surface, but you may want to flour the pin.) First roll away from your body, then pull in, until the oval is about 12 inches long and 6 inches across.
• Fold the top 3 inches of the oval down, then fold the bottom 3 inches of the oval up, making a rough square. Starting from the right edge of the square, roll up the dough into a fat log, pick it up and smooth the top with your hands. Place the log in the buttered pan, seam side down and crosswise, nestling it near one end of the pan. Repeat with the other dough ball, placing it near the other end of the pan.
• Cover and let rest 30 to 40 minutes more, until the risen dough is peeking over the edge of the pan and the dough logs are meeting in the center. Brush the tops with milk and bake on the bottom shelf of the oven until golden brown and puffed, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let cool in the pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and let cool at least 1 hour, to let the crust soften and keep the crumb lofty. (If cut too soon, the air bubbles trapped in the bread will deflate.)

Steps:

• Make tangzhong: In a small pot over medium-low heat, continuously whisk together 3 tablespoons flour and ⅔ cup water until mixture is thickened and begins to bubble, 3 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, whisk together water, sugar, and yeast and let sit until frothy, about 15 minutes. Add to bowl remaining flours, the cooled tangzhong, and salt. Using a spatula, mix ingredients until a wet, soft dough forms. Cover bowl and let rest 30 minutes to 1 hour. With dampened hands, going around the bowl, pick up one edge of the dough, stretch it upwards and fold it toward the opposite edge. Repeat this stretch and fold motion around the dough, then flip dough upside down so that the smooth side is facing up. Cover and rest at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, performing a stretch-and-fold every 45 minutes to 1 hour, for a total of four sets of stretch and folds.  After the final stretch and fold, halve dough and shape each half into a smooth boule. Grease two small bowls with olive oil, then place a boule into each bowl, seam-side down. Cover and rest overnight in the refrigerator, up to 4 days. (The longer the rest, the more flavorful the dough!) Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together all sauce ingredients until well combined. Refrigerate until ready for assembly. To assemble the pie: Remove dough from refrigerator and let come to room temperature for 1 hour. When dough has become more pliable, coat bottom of a 10” cast-iron skillet with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds. On a lightly floured surface, using the pads of your fingers, flatten dough starting at the center of the ball, working your way outward. Gently stretch dough until it is about 8” wide, then place into prepared skillet and continue to press dough outward to reach ½” up the sides of the skillet. Let dough rest and proof until puffy, about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.  30 minutes before you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 500°. Place your skillet on medium heat and cook until edge of dough begins to sizzle and top of dough begins to puff, 4 to 5 minutes. Top dough evenly with cheeses, then dollop on sauce by the spoonful. Remove from heat and transfer to preheated oven. Bake until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden, sauce is mostly set, and edges are caramelized, 11 to 14 minutes. Let pie cool briefly in skillet, then transfer to a cooling rack before serving.